Well-shooting system



Aug. 2, 1960 R. A. PETERSON WELL-SHOOTING SYSTEM Original Filed Oct. 3, 1952 EEC-02022 i :3 1 7e AMPLIFIER INVENTOR.

2. Vezocrry- Q Q Q RAYMbND A. PErEIaso'N,

United States 1,947,377. WELL-SHQOTING SYSVTEM Raymond e nt A ade a i s *9 Un ed Geophysical Corporation, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California I Continuation of application Ser. No. 313,020, Oct. 3, 1952. This application Nov. 29, 1956, Ser. No. 625,190

6 Claims. c1. 181,.5)

surface. The waves returned to the surface from various di,scontinuities are detected at various seismic wave receiver stations, and records are made of the returned waves. By taking into account the velocity with which the waves travel, the depth and the strike and dip of the strata that have reflected the waves and also the location of other discontinuities may be determined from the times required for the waves to travel from the various seismic wave generating stations to the discontinuities and then to the seismic wave receiver stations and from the spacing of the stations. The resultant survey of the sub; terranean formations determined from the records of the Waves is employed to determine where petroleum is most likely to be found in the area surveyed.

It is well known that the velocity with which seismic waves travel in the earth .varies firom one formation to another, increasing more or less with increase in depth, For this reason, to aid in making seismic wave surveys, various methods have been devised for determining the average seismic wave velocity over various depth ranges.

Seismic surveying is often conducted in areas where a well has already been drilled. Such wells aregenerally full of liquid. In such an area, the average velocity .in the formations is determined as a function of depth by a technique called well-shooting.

In such well-shooting, seismic waves are generated at a point adjacent the surface of the earth, and an attempt is made to measure the time required for-the seismic waves to travel from the generation point to ,a point in the well beneath the surface In methods of well-shooting heretofore employed, .it has been customary to lower or raise a seismometer a well by means of acable, suspend the movement of the cable at difierent depths, and to generate seismic waves at a common seismic wave generatingstation while theseismorneter is at the respective depths in the well.

A ,seisrnometer of the type thathas been employed heretofore in Well-shooting has included an inertia member resiliently suspended ,within va caseland means for ,detecting relative .movexnentof the case ,and .the inertia member. With suchaaseismometer, .the inertia member m ve .I.-e at v It theses? sn a inea -t c ppli t t c se b th se smi War s-r aching, t

teamma e: Y

' 15- and into the underlyingfornia'tion, but to I 2,947,377 Patented 2, 19 60 of seismic waves thatv travel through'the earth formationsl. to the seismometer. in the. well. Errors. inascertaining? the time of arrival of the waves tiaveling through the formations introduce errors into the velocityvalues. determined therefrom and hence cause errors'in thcalculation of the depth and the strike and dip. of; reflecting strata and also cause other errors in a seismic sufvey; 7

According" to this invention, a pressure responsive. transducer immersed in the well liquid is employed-to de tect the seismic waves. Such a device relatively insensi' tive' to translational forces, thereby rendering it insen'sh tive to vibrations traveling thereto along' the'lenglth o-t tlie cable. However, such :a' d'evice responds; tocha'n'g'e's' pressure in the well fluidfi Sincesucli'pr'essures a ated in the well fluid in response to vibrations in the neighborin'gj' fo'r-mations,"the arrivalof a"s"isinic wave that has traveled" through the formations maybe detected without any substantial interferenceftonfvibraj tions that havetraveled to the transaiiceralbng'me cable; For this reason, the: time of arrival o ffaseismic was/eat the transducer may bemorereadily nascent-ate 7 termined. Accordingly, 'asa consequence,of[this1inv 7 tion, more reliable determinations amid wave velocities and hence more accurate seis urveys of 'u'nei'r was q sa aa btain O er e u and a g e it s' g my nvsm dn w become apparent from the fol owings tioii taker? qan eq w th h 9L vi i figure 1 is a schemati my invention; 7 V

Fig. 2 is a graph showing variations ofaverage seiSmiQ w v el city wi h d pth; and I Fig. 3 is a cross -sectio greater depth. The 'shot-hol? may h? S al Q1771 f t or le d p, but the We s nera ly manytheir sands of feet deep. i V I Gene y, as i w l known, th ve ocity o eismi waves in the weathered formation lovvgibeing of "the order of Several hundred feet per seicond'to'a few thou theicurve occurs atthe bottoin of the .vvea

s t per. s on the" seismi wave ve o iy n successive layers 16 17,18, 19', I. 30, ,3}, 32 is a it invariably much higher than that in the weathered yet and is generallyof the order of many thousands "10f fet .varies with depth in the manner indicated bythe "g ph of .Fig. 2. In this graph, rel-ativelydow veloci about 1500 vft./se c are indicate'dlto occur in the w athered layer, and relatiyely high velocities H from aboutf6500 ft./sec. to over 10,000ft./sec. areindicated to occurin the .u nderlyin gformations. The ,sharp discontinuity B v v i i i dllayer. luthis graph, the average velocities L in the athered layer are faked re-a iaas a e awe? the a ent waves may be readily determined depth in question in the weathered layer, and the average velocities H' are taken over a range from the bottom of o the weathered layer to the depth in question.

The velocity'o'f sound in thewell liquid is generally about 5000 aft/sec. or lesspand is; thus usually'lless than theaverage velocities of seismic waves obse ed oven 7 various depthranges of subterranean strata.

' Thevelocity of soundin the materials of which the earthformations and may be from' 10,000 ft./sec. to'

. 16,000 ft./sec.

Accordingto this invention, a pressure responsive-trans ducer 40 is lowered into. the well12 to a series ofpredetermined :depths. .Then, while the transducer 40 is held stationary at each depth, a seismic wave is generated at the bottom .of the shot-hole 10. The time required fonsuch "a .wave. to .travel fromithe generating station 10 to ;the.pressure responsive ,transducer 40 is measured. From this time: and from the; spacing of the shot-hole;

.10 'and well 12, the depth at thebottom of the shot-hole 10 and the. depth of the pressure responsive transducer 40,-Mthe, averagegvelocity required forfseismic waves to travel over the rangeof depth in question from the bottom; ofjthe shotghole ,to the transducer is calculated by methods well lcnownjn the art. 7 From aseries of such meas- Alternate pie'zo-electric crystals 50 are 'arrangedwithth'eir .electricaxes opposed, and conductors 58connected to opposite abutting faces of the crystals lead to the input of preamplifier 60 that is also mounted within the case 56flA pressure responsive transducer 40 of this type 'is"illustrated 'and'described in'g reaterfdetail inl'cos pending ,patent application Serial No. 366,093. filed, any.

6, 1953, by'DduglasG. Marlow. Conductors 62v connected to the outputi 'of'the 'pr'eamplifier 60 connect with corresponding conductors '64 At the seismic wave station 10,.s eismic waves are gen erated in any conventional manner, such as by exploding a charge 86 of dynamite by manipulation of a blaster 88.

The blaster 88 is connected by conductors 90 to a detonatv ing cap 92 connected with the charge of dynamite .86,

and the explosion is created'by means of an electric current transmittedbythe blaster over these'conductors to the detonating cap. The blaster, is also connected cable is composed is often greaterthan that in various electrically by means of conductors 94 t6 the amplifier 74.-

In use, when the pressure responsive transducer 40 is located at a predetermined depth, in the well, a charge of explosive located atrthe bottom of, the shot-hole 10 is detonated by operation of the blaster 88. An electrical impulse produced at the time of the explosion 'is transmitted over the cable 94 totheramplifier 74 and from thence to the galvanometer' 80. V

The resultant seismic wave disturbance produced at i the bottom of the shot-hole 10 produces a seismicyvave indicat'ed by the curve W-which travels downwardly through; the .various'formations 18,119, 30,-31, 32 along the path P to the side wallsfof 'the well 12 adjacent thetransducer 40. The vibration of various portions of; the for:

mation adjacent the wall of the well produces a'variation of liquid pressure in the well. j :1

The variations in pressure in'the well liquid act upon the diaphragm 54, alternately compressing and expand ing. the piezo-electric crystals50.' As a result, the pres;

sure'fluctuations in the wellifluid cause' corresponding thence throughthe slip rings 70 and conductors 721d in ac'able 66, which leads upwardly in the 'well '12 to a 'winch68 at the top of the well. The conductors 64 connect to apair of slip rings which in turn-are connected to conductors 7l that lead to the input of a seismic wave amplifier-174; The output of-the amplifier 74 is fed to' an o'scillographic'recorder 76; 1

, The recorder 76 is of the'conventional type whichflincludes'a motor=M that drives. a takeup drum, or" spool,

'77 for drawing -a long narrow strip of photographic paper- 78, or other recording medium, 'fro'm'a feed drum, 'or spool, 79, past'a recording element, s'uchas a galvanometer 80 contained therein. H T V ""The galvanomet'er80 reflects light froma source 81 ontothephotographicfpaper 78. When no electric wave 1 appears at the'outpu't; the galvanometer expose'sthe'paper:

to, such,light at a predetermined distancefbetween the sides of the paper. However, when anQelectric wave' appears at the outputofv thejamplifier'lfi, the ligh'tjbe'am is'deflected in; a direction transverseto'the length of the paper, causing a latent oscillographic trace 'to be made thereon. Thejrecorder 76' also comprises a timer '82 which exposes'the' paper to .produce latent'spaced timing lines 84 at regular time intervals along the length of thei papere :Usually the intervals a're 0.01 see; and :every' tenth line. is ,darker thanintervening lines; As

is wellknowmthis latent traceand 'the latent timing lines,

a e-d o d t ed qeaj eism' s i v 's r which the time intervals between-the occurrence of diifer electrical waves to be produced across the conductors 58. The .resultant'electrical waves are amplified by the pre "amplifier 60 and are carried by the conductors 62 and the conductors 64 through the cable to the surface, and

the amplifier 74.

:While no' signals are impressed upon the galvanometer 80 of the recorder 76 remains stationary,

V and a straight trace 100 is producedon the record 78. V

. But when' an electrical pulse from the shot-hole 10'is impressed upon the amplifier 74,;the galvanometeris deflected, producing a sharp pip or time break 102iinthc trace. 100. Also, when electrical waves from the trans; ducer 40 are impressed upon the amplifier 74, thegall-f vanometer 80 oscillates in a corresponding manner, pro:

ducing a wave 104 on the'trace. By virtue of the fact that the pressurere sponsive transducer 40 is relatively in sensitive. to translationalforces, vibrations that may, be transmitted thereto downwardly along the cable .66 pro;

- duce substantially no electrical efifect at thej amplifler 60 and hence do not disturb the trace 100. This'hasgreat advantages whenthe velocity. of sound in the cable 'is higher than the average velocity'of'seismic waves in the adjacent formation, as in thisf'case. the. masking effects of vibrations. traveling along'the cable arcsubstantia'lly eliminated. if f i 7 The time of commencement ofjthepip 102 indicaftes the instant of initiation of the generation of theseisrnic waves. And the time of commencement of the wave 104 indicates the. instant of inception of pressure changes'in the well fluid produced by seismic. waves travelingthere jto through the formationslying between the bottom. of

the shot-hole. and the position of. the transducer: in r the well.. These time's are determined from therecor'd by examination of the timing lines'84; and the'interval between thesetimes is employed mentioned abovefto determine. the average velocity for seismic wavesfto' travel from the shot-hole 10 to the depth of;the trans} indicated-by curve H of Fig-2'is obtained. A pressure responsive.transducerjofi the typefemployed' ducerg40." By repeating such determination fordifierent log such as that i depths of thetransducer 40,. a velocity in this invention responds to pressure changesinthe well fluid, even it the transducer remains stationary.

transducer is also relatively insensitive to movemenrof l the transducerfas a whole and to the movement of liquld 75.

past'the transducer. It is for this reason Museums the amplifier Q ducer is selectively responsive to pressure changes in the well fluid in preference to vibrations transmitted along the cable to the transducer. The improved accuracy and reliability of determination of average seismic wave velocity obtained in this well-shooting method is directly attributable to such selectivity in the response of the transducer. 1

Although only one particular 'form of the invention has been specifically disclosed, it will be obvious'that'the invention is not limited thereto, but is capable of a variety of mechanical embodiments; Various changes which will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art may be made in the material, form, details of construction, and arrangement of the elements without departing from the principles of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular form thereof disclosed, but embodies other forms coming within the scope of the appended claims. I i e i The invention claimed is:

1. In a well shooting apparatus in which seismic waves are generated at a seismic wave generating station located at a point spaced laterally from a well containing liquid, and in which seismic waves are received at a series of points at different depths in said well, the'combination of:

a cable and means for lowering an end of said cable in said well to such depths;

means for initiating a seismic wave at said seismic Wave generating station 'whilesaidcable end is supported .at each of "said depths, the relative positions of said cable end and generating station at each of said depths in said well and the relative velocity of travel of waves the cable and in the formations surrounding said well being such that waves travel from said seismic wave generating station to said cable and along the cable in less time than seismic waves travel thereto through formations surrounding the well;

a pressure-responsive transducer connected to said cable end, said transducer being selectively responsive to changes in pressure in the Well liquid compared with vibrations-transmitted to said transducer along the length of the cable, said transducer comprising a case adapted to be lowered in said well, said case having a r'elatively thick Wall portion having a opening therein and a'resilient external wall member closing said opening; and also comprising means located within said case for detecting movement-of said resilient wall member in response to a change in pressure ofthe liquid in "the well; and

means ,for measuring the time elapsed between the initiation of each of said seismic waves and the detection of the inception of pressure changes produced in the well by seismic waves traveling through such formations to each of said depths, whereby the velocity of transmission of seismic waves from said seismic wave generating station through formations of the earth to said depths may be determined.

2. In well-shooting apparatus in which seismic waves are generated at a seismic wave generating station located at a point spaced laterally from a well containing liquid, and in which seismic waves are received at a series of points at different depths in said well, the combination of:

a cable and means for lowering an end of said cable in said well to such depths;

means for initiating a seismic wave at said seismic wave generating station while said cable end is supported at each of said depths, the relative positions of said cable end and generating station at each of said depths in said well and the relative velocity of travel of waves in the cable and in the formations surrounding said well being such that waves travel from said seismic Wave generating station to said cable end along the cable in less time than seismic waves travel thereto through formations surrounding the well;

a pressure-responsive transducer connected to saidcable end, said transducer being selectively responsive to changes in pressure in the well liquidcompared with vibrations transmitted to said transducer along the length of the cable, said transducer comprising. an elongated case adapted to be lowered in said. well, said elongated case having a relatively thick side wall and a resilient, transverselyarranged external wall member secured therefto,,and also comprising means located within said case for detecting longitudinal movement of said resilient wall member in response to a'change in pressure of the liquid in the well; V

and means for measuring the time elapsed between the initiation of each 'of said seismic waves andthe detection of the inception of pressure changes produced in the well by seismic waves traveling through such formations to each of said depths, whereby the velocity of transmission of seismic waves from said seismic wave generating sta- "tion through formations of the earth to said depths may be "determined. 7 a 7 3. In well-shooting apparatus in which-seismic waves are generated at a seismic wave generating station located at a point spaced laterally from a well containing liquid, and in which seismic waves are received at a series of points of difierent depths in said Well, the combination of:

a cable and means for lowering an end of said cable in said well to such depths;

means for initiating a seismic wave at said seismic wave generating station while'said cable end is supported at each of said depths, the relative'positions of said cable end and generating station at each of said depths in said well and the relative velocity of travel of waves in the cable and in the formations surrounding said well being such that Waves travel from said seismic wave generating station to said cable and along the cable in, less time than seismic waves travel thereto through formations surrounding the well;

a pressure-responsive transducer connected to said cable end, said transducer being selectively responsive to changes in pressure in the Well liquid compared with vibrations transmitted to said transducer along the length I of the cable, said transducer comprising an elongated transversely arranged external wall'member forming the "lower wall portion of a part of said elongated case, and

also comprising meanslocated within said case above said-resilient external wall member for detecting longitudinal movement of said resilient wall member in response to a change in pressure of the liquid in the well; and

means for measuring the time elapsed between the initiation of each of said seismic waves and the detection of the inception of pressure'cha'nges produced in the Well by seismic waves traveling through such formations to each of said depths, whereby the velocity of transmission of seismic waves from said seismic wave generating station through formations of the earth to said depths may be determined. V

4. In well-shooting apparatus in which seismic waves are generated at a seismic wave generating station located at a point spaced laterally from a well containing liquid, and in which seismic waves are received at a series of .points at diiferent depths in said well, the combination of: v

a cable and means for lowering an end of said cable in said well to such depths;

means for initiating a seismic Wave at said seismic wave generating station while said cable end is supported at each of said depths, the relative positionsof said cable end and generating station at each of said depths in said well and the relative velocity of travel of waves in the cable and in the formations surrounding said well be seismic waves travel of thecable, said transducer comprising an elongated case adaptedto be lowered 'said 'well, said elongated case having a transverse passage extending therethrough, said case also having a resilient, transversely arranged ex ternal wall member forming'part of the 'wall'of said passage, said transducer also comprising meansior d' tecting movement of saidresilient member in response to a change in pressure of the liquid in said Well; and

means formeasuring the time elapsedbetween the initiation of each of said seismic Waves and the detection of the inception of pressure changes produced in the well by seismicwaves traveling through suchffor mations :to

each ofsaid depths, whereby the velocity of transmission of seismic waves from said seismic wave generating stanon through formations of the earth to said depths may be determined; J I j 5. In well shooting apparatus in which seismic waves at a point spacedlaterally from a well containing liquid, and in which seismic waves arereceived at'a'series of points'at difierentdepth's' in said well, the combinationof:

acable and meansforlowering an end of said cable in said well to such depths;

means for initiating a seismic wave at said seismic wave generating station whil'said' cable end is supported at each of said depths, the relative positions of said cable end and generating station at each of said depths in said cable and in theformations surrounding said well being such that waves travel from said seismic wave :generating station to said cable and along the cableinless time than ing the well;

a pressure-responsive transducer connected to said cable? end, said transducer being selectively responsiveito, ichanges inpressure'inthe well liquid, compared with vibrations transmittedto said transducer along the length of the cable, saidtra'nsducer comprising a case adapted tobe lowered in saidwell, said case having a relatively thick wall portion having an opening therein and a resil ient external wall'member closing said opening,andalso comprising meanslocated within said-case for detecting movement of said resilient .wall member in response to a change in pressure of the liquid in the well, said means being connected to said case at points thereof which are longitudinally spaced apart a distance which is smallcom- 'paredwith-thelength of the case; and 7 k 7 means for measuring the time elapsed between the initiation of each of said seismic waves and the detection theretorthrough formationisurround- 1 are generated at a seismic wave generating station located well' and the relativevelocity of travel of waves in the 8 I of the inception of pressures changes produced'in the well by seismic waves traveling through such, formations 1110 eachJof said:depths, whereby the velocity'of transmission of seismic waves from said seismic wave generating;sta:- tionthrough formations or the earthto said depths may be detelmined. i r I T r t 6; In well-shooting apparatus in which seismic' waves are generated at aseismic wave generating station located at apoint spaced laterally,-from.'a well containing liquid, and inwhich seismic waves :arereceived ataseriesof points at different depths in said .we1l,the combination of: ii a' cable and means for lowering an end of 'saidcable in -said?well tofsuch depths; V I .f. means for initiating a seismic wave at said seismic wave generating-station while said cable end is supported; at each of said depths, the relative positions of said cable end and generating station at each of said depths in said well and the relative velocity of travel of waves in the cable and in the formations surrounding said well, being such that waves travel from said 'seisinic wave generating station to said'cable endxalong the cable in less time than seismic waves travel thereto through formations surroundingvthe well; i V f 1 a pressure-responsive transducer connected 'to, said cable end, said transducer being selectively responsive to changes in pressure in the well liquid compared with vibrations transmitted .to' said transducer along the length ofthe cable, said transducer comprising an elongated case adaptedto be lowered in said well, said elongated case havinga relatively thick side wall'and aresilient, transversely arranged external Wall member securedzthereto, and also comprising means located within said' case for detecting longitudinal movement of said resilientwall member in response to a change in pressure of the'liquid in the well, one end of said means being fixed in position' within the case at appoint that is spaced from said resilient wall member by a distance that is small compared with f the length of the case;,and a i meansfor measuring the time elapsed 'betweentthe initiation of each of said seismic waves and the detection of the inception of pressure changes producedin the well a .by seismic waves travelingthrough' such formations'to each'of said depths, whereby the velocity of transmission of seismic waves from said seismic Zwave ,generating-stm tion through formations of the earth to s'aid depths may References Cited in manner this patent i V V :lJNITED STATES PATENTS .13} 2,425,868 Dillon Aug. 19,1947

2,71 ,124 Ording June 28,1955

' OTHER REFERENCES,

Wells, fWell .Velocity Shooting in California, Geo; physics Magazine, volume XIV, pages 34645 6, July 1949. v 1 I" 

